LIST: 5 things Cam wants (and hopes) to see at Baselworld 2019
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, at least for watch heads. Watch fair season is upon us, and with the year’s releases already coming thick and fast, it’s time to look into my sapphire crystal ball and make a few predictions as to what I’d like — and what I hope — to see at Baselworld 2019. Expect to see: New variations of the Tudor Black Bay Experience tells me that we’ll see the rose and shield brand add to its thriving Black Bay stable this year. Not exactly a wild and crazy prediction, but I’m expecting at least a few new variations of the BB dial. Tudor have already dropped a teaser on Instagram, suggesting a change to triangular hour markers from the familiar rectangles that mark the Black Bay’s quarter hours – just as they did with their Submariners in the 1980s. And I wouldn’t be the least surprised to see new colourways for the BB58 or, for that matter, new dial colours all around. Expect to see: Greater coverage of the smaller brands and independents Baselworld was once the biggest and baddest watch fair in the world; however, the past couple of years have seen its…
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When the idea was first hatched that we would work with IWC on auctioning a rare-in-this-condition Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 ref 3504 for charity, a name quickly emerged as someone to consult with on the process. Carson Chan is not only the Head of Mission of Greater China for the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), but he’s also an out and proud superfan of this collaboration between Porsche Design and IWC that was, as we explained in the last story, a victim of its outrageous success. Whenever we would speak about this particular watch, well before this opportunity arose, his excitement and energy level rose alarmingly. It’s only natural that now, barely 12 hours from the end of the auction of the Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 ref 3504, that we unleash the geek beast in Carson, and give you a couple more — I would say fairly salient — reasons to take it off the market for a still-reasonable price. The bidding is currently at $9000AUD ($6400USD, a pinch really). The auction ends at midday tomorrow AEST. Once again, we wish all bidders luck. 1. What makes the Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 ref 3504 a collectible…
Alongside its regular production models, Bremont has long been creating bespoke versions of its watches for personnel in the world’s militaries, customising dials and casebacks with the logos and insignias of their units. These custom-made designs were always limited, however, and only ever made available to those in uniform, while the rest of us civvies could only look on and admire. Well, those days of gazing at a distance are over, and Bremont has just announced an official partnership with the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), sanctioning Bremont as the only luxury watch producer allowed to use the symbols, signs and Heraldic Badges of all three of the Ministry’s services – that is the British Army, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force. In celebration of this momentous occasion, Bremont are also releasing an entirely new range. Dubbed the Bremont Armed Forces Collection, these military models will be available to everyone. No uniform required. Introducing three entirely new designs, with each one drawing its inspiration from the ‘Dirty Dozen’ watches commissioned by the British Army during WW2. The first of the trio is the Bremont Broadsword, and its design is the most reminiscent of the famous, now highly sought-after,…
If you’re considering buying a new watch, one of the least important questions you should ask is: “Does it have an in-house movement?” To be blunt: the mere existence of an in-house movement does not necessarily equate to a better watch. So why do we see the in-house claim being made by so many watch brands? Why do they use it like a badge of honour, a mark of prestige and exclusivity, a (strongly implied) guarantee of superior quality – and a reason for charging a higher price? Let’s start with what the term actually means. Like many words that have been hijacked by the luxury marketing community and rendered meaningless through misuse and overuse, “in-house” has been reduced to little more than jargon – and has bamboozled watch buyers in the process. In its true sense, an in-house movement’s components must all (screws, jewels, hairsprings, the lot) have been made under the roof of the brand whose name appears on the dial. The same company’s own employees will also have designed and developed the movement from scratch, then assembled, decorated and finished it. By this definition, a true in-house movement is an extremely rare creature. However, it’s a long…
There’s few things I like more in watchland than being surprised. Sadly, it doesn’t happen too often. But when it does, it’s always memorable. And being in Rado’s booth at Basel last year was one of those moments. I had seen the large Tradition 1965 on display and dismissed it without a thought. Who needs a plus-sized rectangular watch, I thought to myself. Turns out, me. When I put this watch on I was blown away at how comfortable it was (it wears very well for the shape, and the titanium case keeps the weight down), and the shape of the case was sophisticated and chic. On top of that, the dial was a masterclass in shimmering texture and stylised applied numerals. I learned that it was inspired by the Manhattan skyline and, boy, did it look the part. Later, I got to see the smaller version, and while it’s not made with my wrist in mind, it obviously shares many of the same charms as its bigger brother. Rado Tradition 1965 Australian pricing and availability Rado Tradition XL, $3175, Rado Tradition M, $2625, both limited to 1965 pieces.
There were a lot of very interesting watches released at SIHH. Oftentimes, this interest was centred around complication — and rightly so, it’s really the watch industry’s traditional bailiwick. But for me, one of the most interesting collections overall was Panerai. Panerai, while certainly accomplished at the higher end of the spectrum, tends not to play the complication game, which is entirely in keeping with the brand’s rough and tumble history. Instead, they went down a different (and perhaps more significant in the long run) route. Panerai’s SIHH 2019 releases were exclusively Submersible models, several of which tie into Panerai’s existing brand partnerships — including a series of extremely limited pieces that come with a fairly incredible money-can’t-buy experience bundled in, a pivot to a more experiential offering that’s a smart play. After all, what better way to immerse yourself in the world of Panerai than free diving in French Polynesia, or training with Italian commandos? The watch we’re looking at today is part of this equation – it’s the Mike Horn Edition, made in collaboration with legendary explorer and long-time Panerai ambassador Mike Horn. On the surface, it’s a tough, reliable dive watch, but look a little deeper and…
There’s an argument to be made for a subtle sartorial flex (and it’s an argument that Barack Obama definitely won with his Rag & Bone “44” bomber jacket btw). Class, elegance, all that jazz. But there’s an equally strong statement to be made for putting your best foot forward, and expressing yourself. Something these three fellas are very familiar with. Bradley Cooper and his IWC Big Pilot Big Bradley Cooper has been filling out the role of a 21st century interpretation of a classic Hollywood leading man, wearing a pin-sharp Tom Ford tux, and bringing his mum along to the big night. But just because he’s playing it straight in the wrist department, don’t be fooled. The unique IWC Big Pilot Le Petit Prince in red gold adds a distinctive gravitas of its own. Bonus points for the fact that Cooper’s IWC is being auctioned off for charity after the big night. Ryan Seacrest and his Rolex Daytona Ryan Seacrest, he of the ever-flashing teeth and wrist, once again flexed hard at the Academy Awards, wearing his default Daytona. But this time around he left his steel 6263 at home, opting for the power of gold. Perfectly paired with that brocade…
Sports tie-in watches play a — if you’ll pardon the pun — dangerous game. On the one hand there’s a lot of gloss (and potential sales) to be earned from the association with an event that’s under the spotlight. The downside, though, is you might end up with a watch that looks more like a souvenir than a fine piece of precision engineering. This Rado HyperChrome Match Point walks this line just fine. To most casual — and even closer — viewers, it’s a regular Rado chronograph, complete with the high-tech ceramic case and bracelet so synonomous with Rado, as well as a particularly handsome brushed blue dial and some nice raised, applied Arabic numerals. But look very closely and you’ll notice the subtlest tennis detail on the dial — that outer track is marked with a scale specifically calibrated for the time between points in ATP and Grand Slam games. Now, if that’s not a detail for the real fans, I don’t know what is. Rado HyperChrome Match Point Australian pricing and availability Rado HyperChrome Match Point, limited to 999 pieces, $6475
Magic Gold, ceramic, sapphire. We all know that Hublot loves toying with case materials, and their latest comes as yet another clever spin on case materials — the first ever watch cased in yellow sapphire. Hublot wasn’t the first to get into the art of crafting sapphire watch cases, however they have been the first to dabble in colour, and after the successful launch of blue and red, this glowing golden yellow became the brand’s latest addition earlier this year. While hanging in the sun at Watches & Wonders in Miami (sprinting from one meeting to the next), I had an opportunity to take a closer look at this jaune gem. The reality is that people love to bang on Hublot, and especially the Spirit of Big Bang, which is a little unfortunate in my eyes. Yes, its tonneau case shape didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel when it launched in 2014, but the uneducated callout of it being derivative is about as accurate as stating that any black-dialled dive watch on the market is a copy of a Rolex Submariner. But I digress. From the onset I’ve actually been kinda fond of the Big Bang, and though the shift in…
The Porsche Design by IWC Ocean 2000 ref 3504 is the kind of model that makes the experience of being into watches great again. But more about the watch later. Because the really great news is that we have one (in pretty extraordinary condition) to auction on eBay, from this morning. You can bid on the watch right now, here. The auction will run for the next seven days. All monies raised will go toward the vital work of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Assocation of Victoria, an organisation dedicated to finding a cure for MND. “Until there is a cure, there is care,” their site promises. Anyone who has been touched by MND knows that it is a cruel, dehumanising disease whose usually slow progress is agonising for all involved. Needless to say, it is a worthy cause. And the cause is combined, in this effort, with a pretty incredible watch, as we said above, in pretty incredible condition. Once you scratch the cool, smooth, pebble-like titanium surface of the Ocean 2000 you are immediately drawn into a world of storytelling and mythology that has been nicely compacted by the 35-odd years since its release. This, in short, is a crush…